IMMUNOEXPRESSION OF TGF-Β IN NORMAL CANINE PROSTATES AND WITH PROLIFERATIVE LESIONS

Abstract The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), a mediator of prostatic growth induces angiogenesis and inhibits cell proliferation. It was used in this study in order to evaluate its expression in normal prostatic tissue and those with benign proliferative lesions, pre-malignant and malignant prostatic diseases. A total of 54 glands with normal histomorphology, epithelial benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), stromal BPH, prostatic inflammatory atrophy (PIA), prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), and adenocarcinoma were selected and used in the tissue microarray block (TMA). The TMA slides were subjected to the immunohistochemistry with anti-TGF-β and its staining intensity in epithelial and stromal cells was evaluated. There was TGF-β immunostaining by both normal tissues and those with proliferative lesions. Higher TGF-β immunostaining was observed in cells from normal prostatic tissues and with HPB, whereas prostatic cells with PIA, PIN and carcinoma exhibited lower immunostaining of this cytokine, suggesting the action of TGF-β in the maintenance of normal tissue homeostasis and with benign proliferative lesion and in the progression of pre-malignant and malignant proliferative lesions of the canine prostate.